Keeping Logs and Data

JimL

JimL

I know just enough to be dangerous
Mar 28, 2009
406
0
0
Silverdale, WA.
I have an 80 gallon planted tank, and for the most part I am using the EI method of Fert dosage but I was having a hard time understanding it. I was having one hell of a time with all forms of algae.
I read the Sticky at the top of this forum by, Mgamer20o0. Things finally made sense.

I started with

60-80 Gallons
3/4 tsp KNO3 3x a week
3/16 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/4 tsp K2SO4 3x a week

I added Iron (Flourish Fe) 5 ml 3x a week
And Plantex CSM + B 3/16 teaspoon 3x a week

Knowing I had no clue as to what I was doing I decided to keep a log book, recording the results from water testings.
I test for pH an KH and used the chart to determine CO2 daily. I haven't gotten down to a flat line, yet, but it's getting there.

I do a complete test, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, KH, and GH at least once or twice a week

I read somewhere that mixing Iron and Potassium wasn't a good idea so I add those last two on alternating days.

My NO3 (Nitrate) started getting real high so I lowered the KNO3 down to 1/4 tsp. (that has seemed to help)
My Fe (Iron) got high so I lowered the Flourish Fe to 3 ml. And that really helped.

I again admit, I have no clue as to what I am doing. Truth is I like being a "Mad Scinest" playing with the chemicals and water.

Well it didn't take long before I had a quite few pages of data. So I can look at this data and kinda see trends, but I know less about spreadsheets.
Then I found AquariumLab

http://www.aquariumlab.com/download/aquariumlab.exe

Now things make much more sense.

That and I can keep track of other things, like when I last changed a "Filter Sleeve". When I last used Root Tabs. And more.
It's a bit spendy to register, but the author has done a lot of work on it. And he's quick to find a bug, and add suggestions
 
After a while if you stick with the hobby seriously for about 2 years, you will become one with the cycling process, a sort of junior Jetti when it come to tank balance, cycling as well as how to keep your fish mostly alive and healthy. The only thing I keep records on now is tank and filter maintenance schedules since I have 6 tanks.
 
CWO4GUNNER said:
After a while if you stick with the hobby seriously for about 2 years, you will become one with the cycling process, a sort of junior Jetti when it come to tank balance, cycling as well as how to keep your fish mostly alive and healthy. The only thing I keep records on now is tank and filter maintenance schedules since I have 6 tanks.
Click to expand...

This seems to be the end point of the EI system, or at least, what I have read. But I don't see that day coming any too soon. Until I get to that point, I still thing it wise to keep a recording of what's going on with my water chemistry.
 
Definitely! I think it's an often overlooked point for beginners, whether to the fish hobby entirely or to a certain specialty like brackish or planted tanks. You can't really know for certain whether what you are doing is making a difference until you can see the trend of cause and effects.

I remember when I first got into brackish. Okay it was my first real attempt at proper fish keeping too, so it was a big leap into home aquaria. I religiously tested my water and wrote down every result. Now I just test randomly to make sure everything's where I think it should be and whenever I think there might be a problem. Granted, I don't have any high tech planted tanks and don't dose ferts, so I don't have that to keep track of either. My highest tech tank I would consider to be my 5.5g planted betta tank that I would consider medium light. I dose with Yamato Green-N 1-2 times a week, just a few drops, and Excel every work day. It's on my desk at work.
 
I'm always a bit mythed when folks say they do not understand EI, but then go and test and measure 1/2 dozen parameters and then try and make head or tails from this pile of data, most of which has been collected without any reference, thus is a guess in the first place.

EI is a response to folks who have trouble with chemistry, with testign and test kits, our typically neglectful habits etc..........

It uses the same old things that every aquarist uses to keep an aquarium: water changes and feeding. You still have to clean the filters, those basics really do not change.

EI is extremely simple:
Good size frequent water changes to keep things from building up and then dose frequently to prevent anything from running out.

That's it in a nut shell.
If you cannot get that, well.............:help:

Now dosing nutrients is not going to give success alone.
No method of dosing is going to cure algae and make plants grow.
There are two really big factors that are far more relevant and important than dosing ferts and micromanagement. Light and CO2.

Does not matter what you do, if these two are out of whack, no dosing method shall save you. Aquarist with algae issues tend not to look or perhaps think about the big picture: light, CO2 and nutrients.........


Not just one of these, but all together.

A good article on CO2 and light:
http://www.tropica.com/article.asp?type=aquaristic&id=142

This will help to get to your goal far more than any data logging , spread sheets etc.....I seriously doubt entering data and testing water was your goal in the hobby, nor will it help you achieve your original goal much if any.

In general, lower light+ good CO2, then nutrients are very easy.........this tends to be the best management for most planted aquarist goals.

Light, once set, is very stable.
Nutrients are easy.......

This just leaves the CO2, which is often a nemesis for some of less patient.
CO2 and too much light, more than any other two issues, cause the most problems, dosing is actually pretty easy.

If you want to make it hard on your self, spend more $, not achieve the goal you had......it's up to you. Many lose sight of things when they are frustrated and inexperienced. It's the role of the more experience to help them out and not make the same pitfalls. It's good to learn from experience, as long as it's not your own.

Think about that, read the article carefully, perhaps a few times and think holistically. Light => CO2 uptake/demand= > drives nutrient uptake and demand.

That's the balance.
So less light= less of the CO2/nutrient uptake etc.
Limiting one thing causes poor growth in another.
The dosing part is easy though.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Get "Miffed" all you want Tom. It's not going to change the fact that "I" feel safer knowing the "Chemistry" of my water. I'm not so concerned with WHAT the numbers are but they remain constant. I will give one warning to anyone listening, if you keep pumping more CO2 into your tank to kill off algae, you bet your biffy you better keep an eye on what your pH is doing.
So I'm not so sure who the one is that needs :help:. Sounds more like someone just needing to get laid.
 
JimL said:
Get "Miffed" all you want Tom. It's not going to change the fact that "I" feel safer knowing the "Chemistry" of my water. I'm not so concerned with WHAT the numbers are but they remain constant. I will give one warning to anyone listening, if you keep pumping more CO2 into your tank to kill off algae, you bet your biffy you better keep an eye on what your pH is doing.
So I'm not so sure who the one is that needs :help:. Sounds more like someone just needing to get laid.
Click to expand...

I think you mistaked my attitude, assume it was personally directed at you and my intent, sorry if so. Some things are lost over the web.

You can dose and predict the % build up using a calculator that includes water change %, dosing, relative % uptake by plants, fish waste etc:
http://wet.biggiantnerds.com/ei/con_v_time.pl

This will predict the outcome.

Specifically JimL, what is it that you honestly do not know about EI?
You state that you are having lots of algae. This has nothing to do with EI and everything to do with light and CO2.

Ask around from other sources (How about read the link I provided??) since you seem more concerned with my sex life than addressing the issue, you ain't my type anyway:o. I'm straight, nothing wrong if you are not.....just do not go barking up the wrong tree. Stick to the topic.

As I stated prior, this is much more a holistic issue involving light and CO2 as well as nutrients, just focusing on nutrients will not really offer you much insight into the issue at hand nor resolve the problem directly you are having or your goal, which I assume is good plant growth, nice looking tank without algae. Some nutrient dosing etc is part of growing plants, but it's a rather easy process. Water change, dose, water change, dose etc. Then the rest is light and CO2.

Read the article, consider less light and then that leaves just CO2 to deal with.

The file is 30$, the calculator and the article are both free and will yield far better insight and results than this FYI. Why not ask other folks with nice planted tanks and good results if you doubt?

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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